Archive for April, 2011

By Jim Whitt A few months ago, Charlie Sheen seemed to be on top of the world. Then his world turned upside down. What’s really sad is that Charlie thought he was, to use his terminology, winning. And why shouldn’t he? He was raking in millions of dollars as the star of the highest rated sitcom on television. By many standards Charlie Sheen was a success. He probably really believed he possessed Adonis DNA and Tiger Blood. He saw absolutely no need to change. Now he has no show. Mel Gibson, another celebrity whose problems are well documented, knows what… Read More

By Jim Whitt A friend of Dr. Norman Vincent Peale once observed that all Dr. Peale did when he gave a speech was to tell a story and make a point, then tell another story and make another point. He asked Dr. Peale where he learned that form of communication in his presentations. Dr. Peale’s answer was simple, “Jesus.” Jesus taught using parables and like Dr. Peale I’ve discovered the power of parabolic communication. A parable can be defined as “a short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson.” What makes the parable… Read More

By Jim Whitt If you’ve been watching American Idol you got to see a train wreck last week. In my opinion – and remember, it’s just my opinion – the most talented singer of all the contestants, Pia Toscano, was eliminated by virtue of receiving the fewest votes of the remaining nine contestants. The audience was shocked, the other contestants were shocked and the judges were shocked. Interscope Records signed Pia to a recording contract within 24 hours of her departure from the show. The train wreck actually started before Pia got the boot, when Iggy Pop performed on the… Read More

By Jim Whitt All of us are probably watching what’s been happening in Libya, Egypt and the rest of the Mideast with conflicted feelings. We’d like to see dictatorships overthrown but wonder if what replaces them might be even worse. In a piece entitled The Tyrannies Are Doomed, the Wall Street Journal’s Barry Weiss shared some insights from historian Bernard Lewis. An expert on the Arab world, the 94 year-old Lewis cautions that holding free elections too quickly in the wake of these revolutions can be a mistake. He offered this example: “After World War I, the victorious Allies tried… Read More